Coupling

[Mele]

*Disclaimer - if YOU think this is directly about YOU it's MORE THAN LIKELY not. I'm not pegging anyone out here. There is seriously a real lot of this I keep seeing.

While I (obviously) don't think coupling rp is useless or boring or whatnot lately I'm starting to have a real problem with it.

Maybe it's my amount of free time being jobless atm(Yay, recession lay offs) but when I look at the who list there are a really good handful of people who are logging in only to couple off. Now, I'm not just talking a few hours here and there. There are literally some players I have not seen on the who list without a counterpart for whichever alt for literal weeks on end.

What bothers me more is when people are spending 5+ hours sitting in one room. As a couple. Alone.

What bothers me most is.. when one name came in Tuesday for authorization, another Wednesday, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday those two names have been coupled off. Alone. In a room for hours. Not to mention, when it happens multiple times, and when blatent evils are clasping to goodies after three days into creation.

Is this really any better than someone who is "twinking"(As we all seem to love to fling around) by spending hours sitting and smashing things? If you call that person, they come out. If a coupled person has been off for five hours with someone and you call them, they snub you out.

Am I looking too much into it? Am I not seeing enough? I tried to give myself some logic here, alright, older players have seen most of the game, if they enjoy it so be it. But I still don't get it even then. There's always new playerbase, always new people in and out. If you've seen every single area in the game ever, and done every single quest there's still new people to see and meet...

*I'm also not talking about people who spend a few hours with a couple when they log in. I'm talking about people who log in early in the morning, and are usually around until late night, that log in every alt they have depending on which other half is on at the time. Oh, it's 8am, I'll log on blah with blah. Oh, it's been four hours with blah, they have to go. I'll log in blaho for blaho. Oops, five hours have passed, I'll log in blahu for blahu. Oh, it's now 4am in the morning. Guess I'll go to bed.

Opinions?

[Horace]

I'd rather they play and snuggle somewhere with on occasion interaction with other PC's, than to quit because they feel like they can't do what they want to in game.

I agree with you in spirit, but the Ron Paul in me keeps saying they aren't hurting anyone.

[Mele]

I didn't say for anyone to quit.. :P

It's hurting when someone needs someone, but no, not horribly hurting.

[Caelnai]

heh...wasn't quite sure what to expect when I saw the subject of this thread.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'd take some coupling....a possible first for the game happened this morning when three (yea three!) PCs were in Skullport at the same time. Too bad I couldn't get any two in the same room for more than a few minutes.

lol@RonPaul....there's one who'd do well in Skullport...

[Mele]

If the coupling I'm whining about happened in SP it means two people would hide somewhere in SP alone.. avoiding tells etc.

Is that really what you want? lol That's hardly promoting all over RP. XD

It's not an all time high, either! It goes through it's phases. :D

[Caelnai]

heh, nope. Was just disappointed I finally saw other players in Skullport...but neither one wanted to talk to me...or each other. Guess all that great shopping is distracting or somthing?

Never been one for the game romance thing myself, but each his own. Dunno what to suggest...a bigger playerbase helps lots of probs? Vote, vote!

[Lerytha]

I agree it can sometimes be disconcerting.

Just a question, Mele, so I know what problem you're addressing.

Have you contacted them ICly if your character needs them, or OOC if you're say, on your own on the who list and them, and you fancy RP?

If you know someone desperately needs help but you're busy doing couply roleplay, I agree that's (arguably) a bad thing (unless on that particular day, the player just really wants some sit down, chat-and-relax time, not to deal with whatever they might have to deal with "IC jobwise").

What am I saying?

1. I think if it happens regularly, every day of the week, every hour of every day, and any IC roles they fulfil are not being done, and any IC/OOC communications are brushed off, it could be bad (I say could be, because there's still that part of me that hesitates to force people into things when its their game and their choice - I know that's not what you were suggesting, Mele, you're just bringing it up for discussion, which is a good thing!)
2. I think if it happens regularly as above, but only for a week, and then it quietens down, that's alright. They can be that delightfully lovestruck couple for a month!
3. If it happens quite a lot a week, for most of a day but not all... is that a bad thing? I think the only reason it could be a bad thing, is if you as a player need them as a player for something else, but they're not logging that character, or (slightly worse) the character you need is busy "coupling" in the Moon Garden, at the only time you can log on. e.g, if I can only log on at 6pm for four hours, on a Tuesday, and every Tuesday at 6pm, for four hours, the faith leader of Barnabus God of Monkeys is busy coupling with the faith leader of Maria Von Trapp, Goddess of Singers... it can be argued that is a bad thing. But often, they might not know. So maybe a quick otell/ictell to let the player/character know of time constraints?

Are those the sort of issues you mean, Mele?

[Mele]

Nail on the head, Ollie. <3 :)

[Elerian]

Let them be as long as they adhere to the rules of the game and do not impose whatever it is they are doing on others, then theres no reason to call them out.